


Business as Usual

by Love (crazylove)



Series: What Happens in Vegas... [4]
Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-01
Updated: 2010-11-01
Packaged: 2017-10-13 00:33:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/130835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazylove/pseuds/Love
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is Vegas and Anoop needs to learn how to bluff. Instead, he asks Matt to stay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Business as Usual

Anoop's alarm rang at 6am like it did every day. Anoop watched the numbers change. Then he shut it off and rolled over on his back to stare at the ceiling.

He hadn't slept all night.

It wasn't a bad thing. Matt laid beside him, curled up on his side. His eyes were shut tightly and he was breathing shallowly but Anoop knew he was asleep. He reached over and touched Matt's curls, lightly. He wanted to touch him over and just look at everything but he'd been keeping his hands to himself except for when he shook Matt gently to wake him up so he could ask him what his own name was.

Anoop would bet money that Matt had a concussion and Vegas was a betting town. But Matt refused to go anywhere so all Anoop could do was keep an eye on him and pray that it wasn't bad. He had his cellphone on the nightstand next to his bed, 911 on speed dial number one. He didn't know what he'd do if something horrible happened to Matt because he didn't force him to go to the hospital.

He probably wouldn't forgive himself.

It was strange. The whole night was strange. Seeing Matt at Crossroads again all of a sudden after _craving_ him for all those days while he jerked off to the memory of Matt fucking himself on a webcam every night before he went to sleep and sometimes in the shower when he was getting ready for work and then he acted like he didn't know him while his heart was pounding and he couldn't believe the way Matt's face fell because it was crazy to think that Matt might have been thinking about him too. Then he followed Matt out of the bar like a stalker and saw him get attacked and it was Anoop's fault because if he had just talked to Matt at the bar he never would have been out there in the first place. Why had he acted like that? What was he _thinking_?

Anoop still didn't know.

Now Matt was here and Anoop just wanted him to stay. He needed to make things right. There were a lot of things he had to make up for.

Anoop patted Matt's shoulder, careful only to touch the uninjured parts of his body. The bruise on his side was so nasty that Anoop was sure he had to have a couple of broken ribs after the way that guy had kicked him. He patted him there and shook him a little until Matt rolled over to face him, slowly opening his eyes.

"Hi," Anoop said quietly. "Matt? Do you know where you are?"

Matt stared at him for a moment and then he smiled, even though his lower lip was pretty busted up and his eye was pretty swollen. It was that same smile Anoop hadn't been able to forget.

"I'm at your place, Anoop," Matt said. "Thank you."

He closed his eyes again, laying on his back now. Anoop didn't move. He laid on his bed and watched Matt sleep.

When the clock rolled around to eight he picked up his cellphone and called off work.

It was the first time but there was a first time for everything. He wasn't going to leave Matt alone and not just because he was worried about him but also because by the time he came back from work Matt could be gone and he wouldn't see him again.

He knew it was crazy. Anoop got out of his bed. He decided he would just let Matt sleep. They made it through the night. The worst had to be over.

It was strange to be sitting in his kitchen after eight am on a Tuesday morning. The sprinklers were on, watering the lawn beyond his deck and he watched through the glass door that led outside on the other side of the kitchen. He felt like he was in someone else's kitchen, living someone else's life where they had a quiet morning coffee break while the one night stand slept in the bedroom and performed sex shows on the internet.

But this was his life. This was Vegas.

Anoop felt restless. He didn't want to read the newspaper on his Kindle or watch TV. He didn't want to sit outside in the sun or finish changing the tile in the bathroom like he'd been meaning to for five weekends straight. What he wanted to do was lay next to Matt and kiss him carefully and run his hands all over his body and just look into his eyes long enough to learn everything about him.

He ran a hand through his hair. He didn't know what had come over him. He had never felt like this before. His heart was still pumping hard and it felt like it would never slow down. All he could think about was Matt. He was scared. He was worried. He was freaked out.

He didn't want it to stop.

Anoop took sips of his coffee until it was cold and he couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed his phone from the kitchen table and called Megan.

"It is way too early," she said when she answered the phone. "I must like you a _lot_."

"Matt's here," Anoop said. It felt thrilling to say it out loud and terrifying at the same time.

"Wait, what?" Megan said. She sounded much more awake now. "Oh my God. Details. Now."

Anoop wasn't sure how to explain it. He didn't want to admit to camming with Matt. That just sounded wrong. He also didn't want to tell her how he was planning on ignoring Matt all night at Crossroads. So he started the story somewhere in the middle.

"I saw Matt last night," Anoop said. "Someone beat him up pretty bad."

"What?" Megan screeched. "Why? How did that happen?"

"He got mugged," Anoop said. "I don't know. I saw it and I stopped the guy--"

"Oh my God!" Megan said. "You're a hero. Wow, this is insane. What did Matt say? Did he remember you?"

"Uh." Anoop had to take a moment to swallow. He put a hand over his stuttering heart. "Yeah, he did. He's here right now. I couldn't let him go home. He was in bad shape."

"This is insane," Megan said. "I can't believe you just ran into him again and saved him from a mugger and now... he's at your house. Anoop! So what are you going to do?"

Anoop had to laugh, just for a moment. "That's why I'm calling you," Anoop admitted. "I don't--"

"You don't know anything about him," Megan said. "Except you fucked him once and you liked it. How about getting his last name or something? Slow down."

Anoop laughed a little more. "It's Giraud," he said. "Matt Giraud."

"What is that, french?" Megan said. "Matt Giraud, I like it. What else?"

"I don't know," Anoop admitted. "He's been sleeping mostly. He's pretty hurt but he won't go to the hospital. He said he didn't have insurance or an address."

"Wait, so is he homeless or something?"

Anoop took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Talking to Megan was really putting this into perspective. He needed to slow down.

"I'm not sure," Anoop said. "He's just hurt right now. I'm trying to make him comfortable."

"Wow, Anoop," Megan said. "You really like this guy, don't you?"

Anoop wasn't going to say anything but after a moment he heard himself whispering, "Yes." He bit his lip as Megan laughed.

"This is a whole different side of you!" Megan said. "It sounds like you need more facts. I'm not saying Matt's a bad guy or anything but you need to be careful, okay? Don't get in over your head."

"Okay," Anoop said quietly but he was pretty sure he was already in over his head. "I just want him to be okay."

"Keep me updated, Anoop," Megan said. "Call me later."

"I will," Anoop said. When he hung up he felt better even though he didn't have any real answers. He moved to the couch and allowed himself to stretch out. He remembered Matt laying there last night, bleeding and looking miserable. Anoop sighed and wrapped his arms around himself. He wasn't sure if he was pretending that his arms were Matt or that he was holding Matt. It didn't matter. It was silly any way he thought about it.

But he didn't stop thinking about it.

Anoop must have dozed off because the next thing he knew Matt was saying his name, standing above him.

"Sorry," Matt said. When Anoop focused on him he was smiling apologetically. His face still looked awful but at least he was on his feet. "I just wanted to ask you if I could have some water."

Anoop jumped to his feet. "Sit down," Anoop said. He grabbed Matt's wrist and pulled him over to the couch. Matt sat down after a moment.

"You don't have to do that, Anoop," Matt said. "I can get water!"

But Anoop was already in the kitchen. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and then filled a glass with ice. He found a straw in his junk drawer.

"You're too nice," Matt said when Anoop handed him the glass. Anoop watched him carefully as he swallowed. Matt winced a put a hand to his jaw.

"Ow," he said with a laugh.

"What hurts?" Anoop asked, seriously.

"Nothing," Matt said with a shrug. "Everything. It's hard to know."

Anoop covered Matt's hand on his jaw with his own carefully. "Right here?" he asked, softly. Matt nodded. Anoop moved Matt's hand and kissed him there, gently. He knew that this probably wasn't the best thing but he couldn't help it with Matt so close.

"Does that help?" Anoop whispered. Matt nodded, his eyes closed. Anoop kissed him there again and then kissed his neck, keeping everything very light. Matt leaned back against the couch, just sitting there. Anoop kissed his collarbone and massaging his thigh, kneading it softly. He remembered Matt crying last night, silent tears rolling down his face. He wanted to comfort him then and he wanted to comfort him now. Matt exhaled through his nose. Anoop couldn't tell if that was a happy sound or not so he stopped. Matt rested his head on Anoop's shoulder.

"It helps," Matt said after a long silence.

Anoop kissed his hair and wrapped his arm around Matt, pulling him even closer. Matt rested his head on Anoop's chest.

"You're so nice, Anoop," Matt murmured. "Why are you being so nice?"

Anoop was careful not to squeeze Matt's bruised side but he definitely wanted to hold him.

"Why are you so surprised I'm being so nice?" Anoop asked.

"Lots of people aren't so nice around here," Matt said. "Or they don't stay nice."

"Tell me something about yourself, Matt," Anoop said. Matt had his eyes closed. He needed another ice pack but Anoop was scared if he got up he would ruin it.

"Like what?" Matt said.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Anoop asked. Matt smiled with his eyes still closed.

"Okay," Matt said. "I can tell you that. I got evicted yesterday. My roommate Chris was in charge of paying rent. I gave him my money. Turns out he's probably got a gambling problem. Vegas is a shit place for that. So he hadn't been paying it. When I got home all my stuff was on the lawn. It's a bad scene. But it's cool, Anoop, really. I'll find something else. Thanks so much for letting me crash here last night. You totally didn't have to do it. I appreciate it."

"I really meant it," Anoop said. "You can stay here."

Matt craned his head back and looked at him like he was trying to figure Anoop out. Anoop stared back at him, looking deep into his green eyes which were still just as beautiful as he remembered them. Then Matt winced and put a hand to his mouth.

"You okay?" Anoop asked.

"That dude hit me so hard," Matt said. "I think I actually saw birdies flying around my head. It was just like the movies. It just started hurting again."

"You need more ice," Anoop said. He got up and went to the kitchen. Megan was right. He needed to be _careful_. But it felt like he was already too far gone.

He put the ice in a small baggie and then wrapped a couple of paper towels around the bag. Matt accepted the ice pack gratefully.

"How do you know what to do?" Matt asked as he pressed the ice pack to his mouth. "Did you used to be a boxer or something?"

Anoop shook his head. "No. Picked it up in college, I guess."

"College," Matt said. "I should have done that. But, nah, I was going to be a musician." He snickered and then winced, holding the ice pack away from his mouth with a frown.

"You're a great singer," Anoop said. "I heard your karaoke."

Matt looked like he didn't remember but then he laughed and winced again. "That was just messing around," Matt said. "I don't even know. I shouldn't have gotten up there. They dared me! Don't lie, I was awful." He pulled the ice pack away from his lip again. "I don't know what I did but... the inside of my lip is bleeding again. Maybe it's just from being around you!"

"I'm dangerous," Anoop said. He got some tissues from the bathroom. He really did feel dangerous but it was a good thing. So dangerous that after he handed Matt the tissues he settled himself on the carpet, kneeling between Matt's knees.

Matt smiled good-naturedly from the couch. "What are you doing down there, Anoop?" he said.

"I thought you might need a distraction," Anoop said. "Keep that ice pack on your lip."

Matt seemed relaxed as Anoop eased his boxers down and then he kissed and sucked the inside of Matt's thighs. They were sexier than Anoop remembered. Everything was, especially Matt's cock. It looked better in person than it had on HD cam. Anoop didn't think he would ever tell Matt about that but he wouldn't mind watching Matt finger himself, only this time in person. They would have to work up to it. Right now Anoop wanted to focus on giving Matt a blow job that would make up for everything.

After he was done, Matt was breathing hard. Anoop rested his head on Matt's knee. He could feel Matt shaking. He rubbed Matt's calf and waited.

Finally, Matt said, "Nobody's ever just _nice_ to me."

It hurt Anoop to hear him say that. He wondered if Anoop would feel that way after a year in Vegas. Or maybe this was a turning point for both of them.

"Well," Anoop said. "I am." And he kissed Matt's knee for good measure.

* 

Later Matt shyly asked if he could take a shower. Anoop got him a pair a sweatpants and a t-shirt he could wear. When Matt came out of the shower he looked a little better. There was more color in his face and he seemed a little more relaxed. Anoop was laying on his bed, watching the flat screen TV he had mounted in the corner. He had only turned it on a handful of times since carefully installing it up there. It was nice to lay there and flip through the channels. Daytime TV was awful.

Watching TV was even nicer when Matt crawled on the bed and laid his head on Anoop's chest.

"You smell good," Anoop said, kissing the top of Matt's head. His hair was slightly damp.

"So, does that mean I wasn't smelling so fresh before?" Matt said with a laugh. "Thanks, I used your shampoo. I might have to switch. I think it gave my hair a little bit more bounce."

He was still smiling so Anoop had to laugh. Anoop ran a hand over his own hair.

"Don't forget the shine," Anoop said. "That's why I use it."

"Your hair is quite shiny," Matt said, still laughing. Then he made a face and took a deep breath.

"You okay?" Anoop said.

"Yeah," Matt said, touching the side of his head. "It's just my head hurts. I don't know. He kicked me in the head so that makes sense."

"You really need someone to look at you," Anoop said. He peered into Matt's eyes but he wasn't a doctor. He couldn't diagnose anything. Anoop saw something in Matt's eyes, though, something he always saw when he looked at him. He could see an innocence there, something in those pretty green eyes that said that Matt was meant to be more than a random stranger who got naked on webcam for a set amount of money a minute. He wasn't the kind of person who belonged in Vegas. He shouldn't be out there hustling, without a home or whatever was going on in his life. He had talent, something to do with the piano and his voice was definitely incredible. Anoop knew that he had dreams but most importantly Anoop could see in his eyes that he had a sense of optimism that couldn't be squashed.

Or at least Anoop hoped it couldn't.

He wanted to stare into those eyes some more but now Matt was smiling in a funny way.

"Is my brain sticking out?" Matt asked, laughing a little. Anoop forced himself to look away. This was so crazy. He had to take a deep breath to pull himself together.

"I've got vicodin," Anoop said. He rested his hands on the side of Matt's face carefully. "That would help."

Matt shook his head. "I don't wanna take that stuff," Matt said. "I don't really like drugs. I try to stay away from them."

"How about Tylenol?" Anoop said. "That's not really a drug, Matt."

Matt shrugged. He craned his head back and smiled at Anoop. "You know what really helps?" Matt paused and looked a little bashful. "I like this. I like that... you're holding me. Is that okay, Anoop?"

Anoop had to laugh. Matt looked uncertain for a moment so Anoop waved a hand.

"No," Anoop said. "I mean... it's just... of course I want to hold you, Matt. Especially if it helps."

Matt's smile was a little easier now. He stayed right where he was, laying against Anoop's chest. "Hey," he said. "Don't you have a day job? What do you do, Anoop?"

"Yeah..." Anoop said. He couldn't think of a way to describe his job without boring Matt to death so he decided to just keep it simple. "I work for a corporate consulting firm. It's really not that interesting."

"So you're playing hooky?" Matt asked, his voice light and teasing. "I'm a bad influence on you, Anoop. I knew this would happen."

"Is that why you left?" Anoop meant to tease him too but the answer came out serious. "I mean, you could have stayed..."

Matt didn't say anything for a moment. "I don't know," Matt said, after a moment. "It's..." He sat up suddenly and Anoop almost cursed out loud. Why did he bring up their one night stand? It was ancient history. It didn't even matter now.

"I'm not like you," Matt said. "I don't have a day job. I do a lot of different things and... I don't know. I just didn't think you'd want to see me. I didn't want it to be weird. Is it weird? I made it weird. I've got brain damage, remember?"

Matt laughed self-consciously with a hand on the back of his head. It was weird but Anoop was sure that was his fault more than anything.

"No," Anoop said. "I--" He considered telling Matt about the cam thing. Now _that_ would be making it weird but he was too chicken for that. He swallowed and started over again.

"It's not weird," Anoop said. "I haven't had too many... like I don't usually get with guys like that. I'm not exactly familiar with the protocol."

Matt smiled, in a joking way that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Well, I'm kind of a slut, Anoop," Matt said. "So you'd better be careful." He laughed and put his face in his hands for a moment.

"Sorry," Matt said. "Maybe I should leave."

"Matt," Anoop said, quietly. "I don't care."

"You don't know about me, Anoop," Matt said. He got off the bed. "My main gig is playing piano at a strip club! My roommate has a gambling problem. I've probably played in every dive bar from here to Circus Circus. I used to have a deal for my music but it all fell apart. I'm just trying to get by... I don't want to bring you down. I don't know if I should really stay--"

"Matt!" Anoop said, sharply. He took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter. I asked you to stay and I meant it. Come back here."

Anoop reached for Matt, holding his hand out to him. Matt took his hand and got back on the bed, sitting beside him.

"I'm so good at screwing things up, Anoop," Matt said. "I guess that's what I'm trying to say. I haven't even known you like a day. I just don't want to bring you down with me."

"I thought you said it hurts less when I hold you," Anoop said.

Matt looked grateful as he settled against Anoop again and Anoop put his arms around him. Matt dozed off after a little while and Anoop laid there, consumed by his own thoughts. He wished he could just tell Matt that he actually _liked_ him but that wasn't something Anoop usually did so he wasn't sure where to start. Everything was moving so fast. Anoop didn't exactly want to stop it.

By the time Matt woke up Anoop's stomach was growling. It was about 90 degrees outside but nice and cool inside Anoop's apartment so he deciced to make chicken noodle soup for dinner because he thought it might be something easy for Matt to eat. Matt followed him to the kitchen and sat at the table.

"Meal service," Matt said. "I think I ended up at a high roller suite in the Grand or something. I love chicken noodle soup. My mom used to make it for me whenever I stayed home sick. It reminds me of her at home."

"Where's home?" Anoop said. He only had condensed so he added a couple of cups of water to the pot. He hoped that Matt's real home was somewhere else. Nobody's home should be Vegas.

"Michigan," Matt said. "I was born and raised up there. Good state. I miss it."

Anoop didn't ask the stupid question about why he didn't just go back there. He knew they all had their reasons for staying away from home. Instead he stirred the soup and turned the burner on.

"North Carolina," Anoop said. "That's where I'm from."

"The south," Matt said. "You have an accent. I like it."

Anoop shrugged with a small smile. He didn't think he really had that much of an accent but people told him that he did sometimes.

"It's nice in North Carolina," Matt said. "It stays warm up there. Not like Michigan. But not like here either because we've got that dry desert heat. But I bet in North Carolina it's not so dry."

Anoop nodded. "Yeah, it's different. I kind of like that it's not so humid down here. Makes those 100 degree days more bearable."

"It was a brutal summer," Matt said. "I played at this outdoor pool for about eight weeks right in the middle of the day. I had the 12 to 6 shift. I literally thought I was going to melt out there. My shirt would just be soaking wet after each shift, day after day. I could wring it out and water would drop to the ground. I think I was melting! I didn't think it was possible to sweat that bad."

Anoop sat across from Matt to wait for the soup to boil. It was nice just to hear about his life, casually, as they spent some time together. It was like what normal people did.

"I like fall, though," Matt said. "Not so hot. But I miss the trees. You should see the trees in Kalamazoo. They're beautiful! I bet it was the same in North Carolina."

Anoop hadn't even thought about it but now he glanced at the lawn and there were only palm trees that were barely hanging on to their life. He did miss the trees full of fall colors, orange, red and yellow. Suddenly, he missed it all so much that he felt a tightness in his chest. He had to take a deep breath.

"I miss trees in general," Matt said. "I thought I'd love palm trees but regular trees are so much better. I like how you can sit under them and get some shade. I miss the bark."

Anoop pulled out a pan. "How about grilled cheese sandwiches?"

Matt grinned. "Now it really is like a sick day! I can't remember the last time I had a grilled cheese sandwich. I think I'm going to need at least two."

"I can cook," Anoop said as he grabbed the bread from the fridge. "I mean, I can make you some pasta if you want."

"Anoop, you don't have to make me anything, are you crazy?" Matt said. When Anoop turned around Matt was looking at him with wide eyes. "This is great. I can't cook so when it's my turn we might have grilled cheese again."

Anoop smiled, cutting his block of cheddar cheese into thing slices for the bread. He liked that Matt said when it was his turn. Maybe they had a chance after all.

The grilled cheese didn't take long. Anoop put Matt's sandwiches on a plate and served it along with the soup. Matt just wanted water but Anoop had a beer just because he thought he deserved one.

"This is good," Matt said, after he took the first bite of his sandwich. "I'm usually running from place to place grabbing take out from this buffet or that buffet. I didn't spend a lot of time in my apartment. It's amazing how much better things taste when someone takes the time to make it for you. Thank you so much, Anoop."

"You don't have to thank me," Anoop said. He felt more selfish about this whole thing than anything but he didn't want to tell Matt that.

"Of course I do," Matt said. "My mom raised me to be polite. So thank you, Anoop. Now you say that I'm welcome. Without anything else!"

Anoop stirred his soup and tried not to blush. He couldn't explain the way he felt around Matt, his heart always racing and he was constantly fighting that grin that would give away everything. It was crazy, he knew it was. But he still couldn't help it.

"You're welcome," Anoop said. Then he looked up and Matt smiled at him and Anoop almost lost himself in Matt's green eyes until Matt started eating again and Anoop forced himself to look away.

* 

After dinner they lounged on the couch and Anoop told Matt to flip channels. He settled on some mindless movie on Starz. Anoop had his arm around Matt as he leaned against him. Matt's hand brushed his thigh. Anoop wanted to kiss his neck again or kiss him anywhere but he didn't want to push things. He didn't know if the impromptu blow job had been such a good idea. They should probably take it slow if Anoop wanted this to last a little longer than one night.

Which was something he definitely wanted.

Matt sat up when an unfamiliar ringtone pierced through the apartment.

"That's my phone," Matt said. He hurried to answer it. Anoop paused the movie so Matt wouldn't miss it. He didn't mean to eavesdrop but Matt's voice carried from the bedroom as Anoop sat in front of the frozen TV.

"Hey Marty," Matt said. "What? I wasn't scheduled for tonight. No, I said I wanted Wednesday but you gave-- I can't exactly come in tonight. It's Tuesday! Marty, come on... I've never missed a shift. I wasn't on the schedule! Marty--" Matt broke off with a laugh. Then Anoop didn't hear anything else. He sat there for a while but Matt wasn't saying anything and he wasn't coming out of the bedroom. Finally, Anoop got up to check on him. Matt was laying on the bed on his side, facing the window.

"Hey," Anoop said, quietly from the doorway. Matt turned over slowly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Matt said. He shrugged. "Just... that strip club I was telling you about? Well, the owner fired me. It's okay, though." He waved a hand with a smile. "Fuck him. I don't even know. My head really hurts, Anoop. I think I'm just going to go to sleep. I'll be out of here in the morning, I promise. Don't worry about it."

Anoop watched him for a moment. The room was dark except for the light coming through Anoop's window. He turned on the overhead light and then walked across the room to draw the shades. Matt had his eyes closed again. Anoop got the vicodin from his bathroom cabinet and a glass of water. He tapped Matt's shoulder and handed both to him before he could protest.

"If you won't see a doctor," Anoop said. "At least do this for me."

Matt glanced up at him and for a moment Anoop wondered if he was trying to decide if Anoop was trying to drug him or something. But then he just smiled and put the pills in his mouth.

"Okay," he said. "Thanks, Anoop."

Anoop put Matt's clothes in the wash and then had a glass of wine as he watched for them to dry. The wine wasn't really a good combination with the beer so he was ready to go to bed early too. Anoop got more sleep that night but he called into work again the next day. Matt slept until around nine and walked in the bathroom as Anoop was actually working on his tiles.

"It looks good, Anoop," Matt said. "Can I pee? You don't have to leave if you don't want."

Anoop pounded a tile into place and didn't look up until Matt flushed the toilet.

"How's your head?" Anoop asked. Matt smiled at him from the mirror as he washed his hands.

"Better," he said. "The pills did help. Can I ask a favor? I parked my car at that lot about two streets down from Crossroads. Can I get a ride over there?"

Anoop wiped his hands on his sweatpants and put the caulking glue aside. "Yeah," he said, careful to keep his voice casual. "You going to take off?"

"I better find Chris," Matt said. "And figure out what happened to the rest of my stuff. And... I have to find another job." Matt laughed a little and put a hand on top of his head. "Another place to live. Things to do. I'm sorry I've been in your hair this long. It was so nice of you to let me stay."

Anoop stood up and looked at Matt's face. It looked better than yesterday but his black eye was still prominent, the cut on his lip noticeable, along with the bruising on the side of his face. He looked like he went head to head with a two-by-four and lost horribly. Anoop took a deep breath.

"You really don't have to run off, Matt," Anoop said. "I'm cool with you staying here."

"At least I have clothes in my car," Matt said. "I feel bad for ruining your nice clothes."

"I washed your clothes," Anoop said. Matt looked shocked.

"You've done too much," Matt said. "Really, Anoop. I should leave. I'm causing you way too much trouble."

Anoop didn't know what to say. He was too scared to tell him the truth. So they headed out about a half hour later. Anoop turned the radio on while Matt looked down at his phone, texting somebody. Anoop knew where the lot was. He turned in and circled around carefully. There weren't a lot of cars. Matt sat next to him, silently.

"Which one is yours?" Anoop finally asked.

Matt didn't answer for several moments. Anoop eased into a spot and put the car in park.

"It's not here," Matt said, quietly. "My stuff's in there." He took a deep breath. Anoop could see that his hands were shaking. He grabbed Matt's hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Maybe it got towed," Anoop said. He pointed at the sign with his free hand. "You should call them."

Matt nodded. "Yeah, that's probably it." He didn't move so Anoop pulled out his cellphone and made the call. Matt gave him all of the relevant information when prompted. The towing company didn't have his car in his lot. When Anoop hung up Matt was slumped against the passenger side door.

"The keyboard was a birthday present from my mom," Matt said. "I had others but I always kept that one. I always kept it."

"We can call the police," Anoop said. "Report your car stolen."

"A stolen car in Vegas?" Matt said. He smiled, wryly. "Yeah, that'll be a priority. It's gone now. There's nothing anybody can do. Why would anybody steal my car? It wasn't that--" He broke off, staring out of the window.

"What?" Anoop asked. Matt shook his head.

"I guess I'll take the bus," Matt said. "Are you missing work again? I'm sorry, Anoop. I'm really going to get out of your hair! Hey, at least I still have my wallet. Thanks to you. I really owe you, Anoop. I owe you a lot. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"Matt," Anoop said. "I don't want you--"

"I'll be fine, Anoop," Matt said. "I'll go visit my... I'll figure it out. Don't worry about me, Anoop. You've done so much for me. I feel terrible!"

"I told you," Anoop said, quietly. He was staring straight ahead. He didn't trust himself to actually look at Matt. "I want you to stay as long as you need."

They didn't say anything for a moment. Then Anoop's phone rang. Anoop wasn't going to answer but it rang again immediately afterward.

"It's okay. Anoop," Matt said."You should answer it."

Anoop glanced at the display. It was Megan so he answered it.

"Hey, what's the update?" she said. "How's your boy?"

"Not so good," Anoop said, quietly.

"Come over," Megan said. "Have lunch with us. It's a good idea."

Anoop lowered the phone. He didn't want Matt to go, not yet. He felt like he'd do anything to keep him around for just a few more minutes.

"My friend Megan invited us over for lunch," Anoop said. "If you want to go."

Matt nodded after a moment. He wasn't looking at Anoop but Anoop tried to guess what he was thinking. Maybe he was looking for an excuse to stay, too.

Anoop drove out to Megan's neighborhood. Matt looked just as impressed as Anoop felt whenever he saw Megan's condo.

"This is really nice," Matt said. He walked to the front door with Anoop. Megan opened it before they had a chance to reach for the doorbell.

"Hi boys," Megan said. "Anoop, it's great to see you." She hugged him and then looked at Matt.

"Hi Matt. I remember you from the club. Megan." She shook his hand with a bright smile.

"Nice to meet you," Matt said. "Sorry about my face. I hope it's not too scary."

"No, it looks like it hurts," Megan said. She stepped aside so they could come inside the house. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Matt said. "It looks worse than it is. I'm lucky. Anoop's been taking real good care of me."

"So I've heard," Megan said. "Seems like he's quite smitten with you."

Anoop's mouth dropped open and he closed it quickly. But Matt didn't seem to notice. He just laughed.

"He's just a good guy," Matt said. "I was bleeding and crying. Most people would step over me but Anoop invited me home. He's been a good friend."

"He's a very good guy," Megan said. "Very very good. One of the rare ones, that's for sure." She fixed Anoop with a smile before turing to Matt again. "Come on guys, I was thinking we could eat outside. I just got some new patio furniture."

It was a gorgeous day, sunny but not overly hot. When Anoop saw Lil sitting out on the back patio he began to get a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. Megan introduced Lil enthusiastically and then they sat down to cold pasta salad and french bread pizza with a white sauce at Megan's large patio table with an open umbrella.

"Lil made the pizza," Megan said. "Isn't it divine?"

"I got the recipe off the Food Network," Lil said. "Thought I'd try something new."

"I love it," Matt said. "Between you and Anoop feeding me I feel really spoiled right now."

"Nobody cooks for you, Matt?" Megan said. "You don't have a girlfriend at home? Or a boyfriend?"

Matt shook his head. "Nope. Just me. And my roommate Chris. But I think he eats free at the casinos. He certainly spends enough money there."

"I had some really interesting casino food at the Venetian one time," Lil said. "Little baby squid, all fried. It was good though! I felt weird."

"I played at the Venetian!" Matt said. "I did a show there for six weeks. It was a magic show. That's a really nice casino."

"Isn't it?" Lil said. "One of my faves."

"So what do you do now?" Megan asked, wiping her mouth after a bite of pizza. "Your job?"

"Me?" Matt said. "A little bit of this and a little bit of that. I don't know, exactly. I like to keep my options open. I'm looking for anything, really."

Megan and Lil exchanged a look. That's when Anoop knew that his suspicions were confirmed.

"Well, if you don't mind," Megan said. "I'd like to turn this into a business lunch. Lil and I have a business proposition for you."

"Oh yeah?" Matt said, raising his eyebrows. Anoop grit his teeth together. He shouldn't have brought Matt here.

"We run a cam site," Lil said. "And we'd love to have you."

"MattyKeys," Megan said with a wide smile. Matt looked surprised for a moment but that was all. "We saw your picture in the anytimefun catalog and we liked what we saw."

"Thanks," Matt said. "I guess--"

"Hear us out," Megan said, holding up her hand. "Let's go over to the couch. We want to give you an idea about what we're all about. Maybe you'll want to switch teams."

When they got up Matt would barely look at him. Anoop opened his mouth but Megan spoke first.

"Don't worry, Anoop already knew," Megan said. "He's cool with it, Matt."

Anoop swallowed. He couldn't believe that Megan would just speak for him like that. He was glad that he didn't tell Megan about his half hour with Matt on anytimefun.com. She had just made it obvious that she couldn't be trusted.

They settled in Megan's living room. Megan produced a bottle of wine from somewhere and poured them all a glass. Matt sat next to Anoop on the couch but not too close. Lil and Megan sat across from them on a couple of chairs.

"I don't know if you've heard of us," Megan said. "The website's called Megan's Angels. We're a little different from AF. First of all, we don't take just anyone with a webcam. We're an exclusive set. We only want the best models. We want someone who can really cam, not just someone who's trying to hustle some old guys out of cash. You know what I'm talking about."

Matt nodded but Anoop had no idea what she was talking about at all. She didn't elaborate. She just went on.

"We have serious clients," Megan said. "An elite list. They expect to get a lot for their money and that's what we intend to give them. So far we've been dealing with women but we're planning to expand to guys. This is cutting edge stuff. You'd be one of our firsts and one of our most valuable models."

"Guys would be very happy to cam with you, Matt," Lil said. "We can see that."

"Yeah, look at you," Megan said, brightly. "You've got a great body and a wonderful smile. You're hot, Matt!"

Anoop looked over at Matt who was blushing a little. "Wow," Matt said. "It sounds like a cool site."

"Our clients aren't nasty," Megan said. "They aren't going to be asking you to do obscene things. Just have a little fun. They want to see you enjoy yourself. That's what makes them happy. And the company is based here. You'll work with Lil and I directly. We'll always be around if you have any concerns."

"I liked that about anytimefun," Matt said. "They have an office downtown."

"The office is right here, Matt," Megan said. "You're welcome anytime. I mean it, Matt. Three in the morning, doesn't matter. We want you to be happy if you're part of the team. We'll do anything."

"Full benefits," Lil said. "Health insurance, dental. You even have the option for a 401k. And you'll make your own hours. Work as much as you want."

"We're not playing," Megan said. "We'll take very good care of you."

Anoop couldn't help feeling a little impressed. He had no idea Megan's business was so serious even after she had quit her other job to take it over full time. He wondered how much profit she was making.

"Wow," Matt said. He scrubbed a hand through his hair.

"Hey," Megan said. "I know camming isn't really your dream job. What do you _really_ want to do? What are you striving for, you know, in the future?"

Matt didn't speak for a moment. Anoop wanted to stand up and say this was silly. He wanted to take Matt out of there.

But he didn't move.

"Well," Matt said. "I'm really looking to be... I'm a musician. I write songs and I sing and I play piano. I wanna make my own records..." He laughed but it sounded a little bitter. "One day, I guess. One day. Probably never."

"Don't say that, sugar," Lil said. "You're going to make your music."

"We can help you get there," Megan said. "We haven't even talked about compensation."

"We'll offer you 100 per hour for group chat," Lil said. "150 for private chat time. To start."

"As you build up your clients," Megan said. "That number is going to change. Should be a good start toward studio time."

"How much were you making at anytimefun?" Lil asked.

Matt smiled for a moment. "45," he admitted.

"Oh my God," Megan said. "No way. You're worth _so_ much more than that. That's outrageous."

"It's ridiculous," Lil said. "Matt, you need to be working for us."

"And there's not as much competition," Megan said. "You're not going to be working with a ton of guys. Like I said there's just a few. But we get a lot of traffic. Our guys are worth waiting for. You'll have no trouble getting privates."

"We audition all of our models personally," Lil said. "So we can let our clients know what they are working with. So, Matt, if you're interested, we want to see the goods."

"Anoop can leave," Megan said. Matt was already standing up.

"No, it's okay," Matt said. "Anoop can stay." He took off his clothes swiftly, starting with his pants. It was a bit unsettling to see Matt standing there naked in the middle of Megan's living room. The girls just looked him over like it was normal.

"Look at those thighs," Lil said. "And your ass, Matt. Damn, boy."

"That's what I'm talking about," Megan said. "His dick is great. We're going to need you to wax though. We'll give you the name of someone. He knows how we like it."

"Maybe try to tone up the torso area just a little bit," Lil said. "But not too much. I'm not talking about six pack abs."

"We like that you're a little boyish," Megan said. "We don't want you to be too hard."

"Other than that, you're golden," Lil said. "Seriously, you're just what we want. You can put your clothes back on."

Matt got dressed quickly and sat down again. Lil was jotting down notes.

"Thanks," Matt blurted out. "For the opportunity. It sounds good but... I don't even have a computer right now. I don't--"

"We can get you a computer," Megan said, cutting him off. Lil handed her a brochure from the coffee table between them and Megan leaned over to hand it to Matt. "This is where we like to put up our models. The apartments aren't too far from my place. We can set you up with an advance there. It won't take you long to pay off the rent."

Anoop looked over Matt's shoulder as he flipped through the brochure. The apartments were nice with high ceilings and pretty light fixtures. Matt closed the brochure and set it in his lap.

"Here's the thing, Matt," Megan said. She seemed a little more serious now. "We're not just selling sex. Anybody can do that. You're not just a body to us or our clients. See, they want to get to know you. They want to connect with you. So many people in this world just don't have anyone they can really talk to anymore. You can provide them with that. Look at you, Matt. You're such a warm person. People will want to talk to you and confide in you and just have your company. All our privates have two way audio so you can talk to them and they can talk to you. What's most important is making a connection with the client. You need to please them physically but also emotionally. You need to be available for them, give them all your attention, without feeling weird or guilty about it. That's why we like when our models are unattached so they don't have those conflicting feelings about someone else at home. We want you focused on our clients. You need to be able to give them all you have to give. Do you understand what I'm saying Matt?"

Anoop's heart started beating a little faster now. He saw Matt nod out of the corner of his eye.

"We don't like our models to have boyfriends or girlfriends," Lil clarified. "It's just easier that way."

"Less messy," Megan said. "Believe me, you'll appreciate it. But that doesn't mean you can't have a friend..."

She looked at Anoop for practically the first time since he'd walked in her apartment and now he was mad. He hadn't felt like this before. It was an anger that burned straight through his chest. She had used everything he told her about Matt.

She had used him.

"Tell us your thoughts, sweetheart," Lil said, smiling at Matt in a patient way.

"All over the place," Matt said. "I'm like... wow. I've never gotten a job offer like this before. It's a lot. It sounds good..." He trailed off for a moment. "Do I have to decide right this minute? I mean, it's great but--"

"Nope," Megan said. "Of course you don't. Think about it. Get back to us. You're worth waiting for."

"Just know that we'd love to have you," Lil said. "And we're here to make you happy. We'll get someone to look at your face!"

"Let us know," Megan said. Matt smiled as he stood up. Anoop put his hands in his pockets and followed him to the front door as he chatted to Lil about some TV show they both watched. He froze when he felt Megan's hand on his shoulder.

"I know you want to talk to me," Megan said. "Let's do this."

Anoop _didn't_ want to talk to her but before he knew it they were alone in her bedroom and that anger was still a hot poker against his skin. He clenched his hands into fists. Megan stood there calmly.

"Look, Anoop," she said. "It's nothing personal."

"I confided in you," Anoop said. "I trusted you."

"I know, I know," Megan said. "I know you really like him. I knew that, okay? It's a pretty bitch move but... I really want him. Think about how much we could help him. He has nothing, you know."

"You're treating him like..." Anoop paused, then spat the word out. "Like you're his pimp! You can't tell him how to live his life."

"Look, I never said the business was pretty. Or fair. But we'd do right by him. I promise, we're not going to screw Matt over."

Anoop laughed harshly and shook his head. "I guess I'm the only one you screw over, huh?"

"Anoop." Megan put her hand on his arm. "I know you're upset but this is for the best, okay? You probably shouldn't get involved with Matt anyway. He's not right for you. You don't even know him. You guys are leading different lives. There's somebody else out there, Anoop. Listen to me." She smiled at him like she felt sorry for him. Anoop stepped away from her.

"You can't save him," Megan said.

Anoop just felt disgusted. He was scared if he stayed too much longer he'd vomit the french bread pizza all over her new carpeting. So he walked quickly outside and took a couple of deep breaths. Matt was leaning against his car, typing on his phone.

"Sorry about that," Anoop said. "I'm so sorry, Matt. I had no idea that was going to happen. Let's get out of here."

Matt looked up and opened the door when Anoop unlocked the car. "Don't worry about it, Anoop," he said, buckling his seatbelt. "It's okay. I should have told you I'm a cam slut. It's not really a secret."

"You're not a..." Anoop looked over at Matt before he started the car, tried to really stare in his innocent green eyes but Matt wasn't looking at him. "You're not a cam slut. You don't have to do that."

"It's not so bad," Matt said. "I don't know. Hey, so, one last favor? Can you drop me off at the Rio? Then you can stop chauffeuring me around, I swear."

"Matt." Anoop turned the car off, heart stuttering. It was now or never. It was crazy, but he had to do this. They could make this work. Anoop didn't care that he didn't know anything about him. What mattered was that he _wanted_ to get to know Matt and he was willing to do whatever it took.

"Look," Anoop said. He didn't know what else to do but put it out there. He had to say it. Matt stared at him and Anoop focused on his eyes, tried to memorize the bruising. "I like you. I... care about you. I've... this is new for me but... Matt, you can stay with me.You don't have to do anything, just stay. Stay, Matt. We'll figure something out together. I promise, Matt."

He wanted to say something else but he just kissed him, gently, on the corner of his mouth. Matt turned his face him and then they were kissing on the lips like Anoop really wanted to. He didn't want to hurt Matt but he couldn't stop. Matt put his hands on Anoop's face. They kissed carefully and deeply. Anoop wanted to wrap his arms around Matt tightly. He wanted to melt into his body. Matt's tongue was sweet, brushing against his own. Anoop's mouth had never fit so nicely against someone else's before. It felt like a long time but it was only a few minutes before Anoop had to pull away to take a couple of shaky breaths. Matt was breathing hard too. He still had his eyes closed. Anoop kissed him on the forehead. It was even crazier than everything else but he couldn't help thinking that they had both ended up in Vegas for a reason.

This felt _right_.

Matt finally opened his eyes. He smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Anoop," Matt said, quietly. "Can you take me to the Rio please?"

Anoop felt like he had been punched in the stomach. It took him three times before he was able to turn the key in the ignition again. His hands wouldn't stop shaking.

He drove in silence. Matt was playing with the brochure on his lap. It didn't take long for Anoop to get to Rio once he got on the highway. There was a line of cars waiting to drive through the turnaround at the front entrance.

"You don't have to go all the way up there," Matt said. "Right here is fine."

Anoop put the car in park. Matt grabbed the door handle.

"Anoop--" he started. Anoop forced himself to look at him. He hadn't seen Matt look so sad, not even when he was crying.

"I wish I were better," Matt said. "You're the only person who's ever been nice to me down here. I care... I care about you, too, Anoop. Thank you so much. Thank you for everything."

Anoop swallowed. He could try one last time but he wasn't brave enough for that.

"You're welcome, Matt," Anoop said. "Bye."

"Take care of yourself, Anoop," Matt said. He pushed the car door open and glanced back at Anoop again. "Goodbye."

Anoop navigated around the hotel traffic and got back on the road again. He tried not to think about it but it was really the only think he could think of. He hoped Matt would enjoy the condo and the health benefits and emotionally connecting with weird old guys over two-way audio while he stripped to their every command. There wouldn't be anymore impromptu visits to Megan's house, no more Saturday nights at Crossroads. Anoop wasn't doing that anymore. He had the tile in the bathroom to finish. He needed to repaint his stupid yellow bedroom.

When Anoop got home he had a headache so bad that it felt like his eyes were crossed. He took a couple of Vics with a glass of wine and laid down on his bed. For a moment he wished that things were different but it didn't matter anyway. He was ready to pass out. Besides, this was Vegas.

It was better to be alone.


End file.
